Earth retaining wall

Abstract

A retaining wall ( 10 ) is disclosed having multiple piles ( 11 ) and multiple panels ( 12 ) mounted uprightly to the piles for lateral, pivotal movement. Each panel has a body portion ( 13 ) and an end hinge ( 22 ) mounted to each side end ( 18 ). Each hinge includes hinge barrels ( 23 ) adapted to conform with the laterally opposing hinge barrels and spaces ( 24 ) located at the opposite end of another panel.

1 . An earth retaining wall for retaining earth material placed against the entire height of the earth retaining wall, the earth retaining wall comprising at least two piles, and at least one panel having two laterally opposed end hinges, each said end hinge having a generally cylindrical barrel configured to receive one said pile for pivotal movement of said panel relative to said pile, said panel having an erected height of at least approximately two feet, said piles and said panel being of a size, construction, and strength to retain the force of dirt backfilled against the entire height of said panel without collapsing said earth retaining wall. 
     
     
         2 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 1  wherein each said at least one panel includes one said end hinge having at least two barrels vertically separated from each other to create a space therebetween, and the other said end hinge having at least one barrel sized and shaped to fit within said space and in axially alignment with said at least two barrels,
 whereby the one barrel of a first panel may be positioned within the space of a second panel with the pile extending through both said one barrel and said at least two barrels. 
 
     
     
         3 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 2  wherein said piles are generally round in shape along a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         4 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 1  further comprising an earth anchor coupled to at least one said pile. 
     
     
         5 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 1  wherein said at least one panel has a support frame and a cover plate coupled to at least a portion of said support frame on the surface of said support frame facing the retained earth material. 
     
     
         6 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 1  wherein said panel height is at least four feet. 
     
     
         7 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 1  wherein said panel height is at least six feet. 
     
     
         8 . An earth retaining wall comprising, a plurality of upright piles and a plurality of panels, each said panel having two oppositely disposed upright frame member, a plurality of horizontal frame cross-members extending between said upright frame members, and a cover plate member coupled to said frame upright members and said horizontal frame cross-members, each said panel being pivotally coupled at each end to one said pile through a sleeve mounted to each end of said panel and about one said pile to allow lateral rotatable movement of said sleeve about said pile extending through said sleeve, said plurality of upright piles and said plurality of panels being of a size, construction, and strength to retain dirt backfilled against the entirety of said plurality of panels without collapsing said earth retaining wall. 
     
     
         9 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 8  wherein each said panel includes a first sleeve having a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion spaced from and axially aligned with said first cylindrical portion so as to define a space therebetween, and wherein each said panel also includes a second sleeve having a third cylindrical portion sized to fit within said space,
 whereby the third cylindrical portion of a first panel may be positioned within the space of a second panel with the pile extending through said first, second and third cylindrical portions. 
 
     
     
         10 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 9  wherein said piles are generally round in shape along a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         11 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 8  wherein said panel height is at least two feet. 
     
     
         12 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 8  wherein said panel height is at least four feet. 
     
     
         13 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 8  wherein said panel height is at least six feet. 
     
     
         14 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 8  further comprising an earth anchor coupled to at least one said pile of said plurality of piles. 
     
     
         15 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 8  wherein said cover plate member is coupled to said horizontal frame cross-members upon a surface of said horizontal frame cross-members facing the retained dirt. 
     
     
         16 . An earth retaining wall comprising,
 at least two end piles;   at least one inner pile, and   at least two panels having a support frame and a cover plate coupled to said support frame, each said panel support frame having a first end with at least one hinge barrel configure to be journalled upon said inner pile for pivotal movement of said panels relative to said inner pile, each said panel frame also having a second end coupled to one said end pile, said at least two end piles, said one inner pile and said at least two panels each being of a size, construction, and strength to retain dirt backfilled against the entirety of said panels without collapsing said earth retaining wall, said size of each said panel of said at least two panels includes a height of at least two feet.   
     
     
         17 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 16  wherein said second end of each said panel frame includes at least one hinge barrel configured to be journalled upon said end pile. 
     
     
         18 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 16  wherein a first said panel frame first end includes a plurality of axially aligned hinge barrels which are separated from each other to form a space therebetween, and wherein a second said panel frame first end includes a hinge barrel configured to be positioned within said first panel space and axially aligned with said first panel hinge barrels. 
     
     
         19 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 16  wherein said at least two panels includes a height of at least four feet. 
     
     
         20 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 16  wherein said at least two panels includes a height of at least six feet. 
     
     
         21 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 16  further comprising an anchor coupled to at least one pile. 
     
     
         22 . The earth retaining wall of  claim 16  wherein said cover plate covers a portion of said support frame surface facing the retained dirt.